J_K9 @ Linux

It’s Time To Stop Playing Catch-Up: Intel, Drivers and WiMAX

J_K9 — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 21:05:43 +0000

Too frequently in the past has Linux had to spend months—even years—implementing support for the latest technologies for which the manufacturers have not bothered to make Linux drivers (either due to the extra costs or merely disinterest in the platform). Linux developers had to reverse engineer each technology to find out everything about it that wasn’t disclosed by the manufacturer in the hardware’s official documentation so that they could provide support for it in an Open Source driver.

Thankfully, the substantial increase in the uptake of Open Source software such as Linux, and the more widespread recognition of its huge potential as an adaptable and expandable Operating System, has attracted commercial hardware manufacturers such as Intel to the system and to the entire Open Source movement. There has been an unadvertised revolution.

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BlackDog - A Pocket-Sized Server

J_K9 — Sat, 07 Jan 2006 02:45:46 +0000

BlackDog is an amazing new piece of technology. I quote from the BlackDog website:

BlackDog is the world’s smallest Linux server that is 100% USB-powered and fits in the palm of your hand. BlackDog represents a new breed in mobile computing devices that gives developers a whole new way to think about computing.

But wait - that’s not all the good news. You can pick this hot gadget up for a mere $199, and its specifications are:

Dimensions: H: .50” W: 1.75” L: 3.5”
Weight: 1.6 ounces
400Mhz PowerPC Processor
64MB RAM
256MB Flash Memory
USB 2.0
Biometric Scanner
MMC Expansion Slot

That is an incredibly good price for this gadget! A USB-powered server - simply plug it into your computer, and you’ll be running two for the (electrical) price of one.

Check out BlackDog’s other cool features on the Product Overview page.

Google To Launch Linux-Based PC

J_K9 — Thu, 05 Jan 2006 22:31:50 +0000

Google is going to release a cheap computer dubbed “Google Cube” to the masses, which will run an Operating System based on Linux. It will be sold in partnership will Wal-Mart, although the price has not yet been confirmed.

The original article at Financial Mirror states that it could pose a threat to Microsoft Windows - which is fairly likely, as Google has gained so much press coverage in the past few months.

But, if this goes forward, I think the best thing is that Linux will also be sent into the limelight as a side-effect. If Google’s new PC is a hit, and people discover that it is based on Linux, the ‘barrier’ which makes current users afraid of trying Linux will be broken - and as a result, more users will switch to Linux. In my opinion, this move will greatly help defeat the common misconceptions associated with Linux nowadays - especially that it is a “hacker’s OS”. Go Google!

Queen Honours Ipod Designers

J_K9 — Tue, 03 Jan 2006 11:31:41 +0000

The iPod is an amazing work of art, and its design (and technology!) inspired many other companies to manufacture similar MP3-playing products. Yet, the iPod’s revolutionary physique was beauty to the eyes - and it was all due to a certain Jonathan Ive.

Almost four years later, Queen Elizabeth II has recognised his talent and, as a result, he became a CBE, having been named to the New Years’ Honours List. I think he deserves every bit of the praise, as I don’t know what I would do without my 4GB iPod mini!

Read the article on Red Herring